Ship Tournament — Semi-Final / Match 1 of 2
"It has everything: chemistry, contrast, disaster potential, and a surprising amount of softness. Merrill’s awkward sincerity bounces off Isabela’s confidence so well, and there’s something really compelling about a dynamic where one of them masks so much with bravado while the other wears her heart much more openly. They’re both outsiders in different ways, both judged, both underestimated, and I think there’s a lot there. Also, frankly, the idea of Isabela being charmed by Merrill’s oddness while Merrill is completely sincere about finding Isabela exciting and wonderful is just incredibly fun."
"Apart from the obvious, which is that they are very cute, I feel like Isabela is one of few characters that not only treats Merrill as a person, but also doesn't infantilise her. She seems to take her seriously, she always tries to help and protect her but she doesn't do it in a condescending or controlling way like most other characters do. Merrill also repeatedly states that she wants to be in on the dirty jokes and wants to know the context, which Isabela readily gives most of the time. On the other hand, while most characters constantly demean Isabela for how promiscuous she is, Merrill actually seems in awe of her confidence and knowledge of the world. They're a great combination of a character that's worldly but hurt and a character that's been sheltered and yearns to experience more."
"I love how Isabela calls Merrill kitten 🥺"
"bc Isabela calls Merrill Kitten 🥺 And Merrill seems so fascinated by Isabela, and Isabela is such a softy for Merrill. DA2 is full of friction which, don't get me wrong, is also great, but I just really love how sweet these two are with each other"
"Isabela calls her 'kitten' :3c"
"The constant 'kitten's are reason enough."
"what's more poetic than members of two warring nations falling for each other?"
"They get together in canon if you play the game right, which I think should be more of a thing in games in general - plus we love a classic fancy boy/feral boy pairing"
"Tevinter x Qunari is peak should've-been-enemies to lovers, and hearing their development through banter got me giddy every time I put them on my party."
"This is truly and genuinely my favorite npc ship in the whole series, and I love setting them up. Everything about them is so fun, from the very start when Bull warns the Inquisitor to be careful of the pretty ones and Dorian snarks back. Dorian and Bull have so many similarities with the way they express frustration with their homelands and struggle with intimacy because of their backgrounds. They're so good for each other and responsive to each other's needs once they get together, and I think their epilogue together is adorable (ha!). A lot of people only see their relationship as sex, but I think they both make it clear that for them it's something much deeper."
Which is the better ship?
Isabela/Merrill
Dorian/Iron Bull
Voting ended onJun 1